Battery Module Exterior Structure for Uniform Cell Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithium secondary batteries in battery modules experience temperature deviations due to heat generation during charging and discharging, leading to potential ignition or explosion risks, which necessitate improved temperature stability and safety measures.
Innovation Solution
A battery module design featuring a metal layer with high thermal conductivity on its outermost surface in contact with a temperature control member, combined with a selectively thicker heat fusion layer in areas accommodating the electrode assembly, to enhance heat dissipation and reduce temperature deviations among batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional exterior material with uniform thickness is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the temperature deviation among batteries increases due to insufficient heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The exterior material is designed with different thicknesses in different regions: a first thickness in the first area (where the electrode assembly contacts the exterior material) and a second thickness in the second area (where the outer surface layer is present). This local variation optimizes heat dissipation in the contact area while maintaining insulation elsewhere, thereby reducing temperature deviation without excessive complexity.
2Temperature
If the heat fusion layer thickness is increased uniformly, then insulation performance improves, but heat dissipation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat fusion layer thickness is varied locally: it is thicker in the first area to enhance heat dissipation where the electrode assembly contacts the exterior material, and thinner in the second area to maintain adequate insulation performance. This selective thickness distribution resolves the contradiction between heat dissipation efficiency and insulation performance.
3Temperature
If the outer surface layer is removed to expose the metal layer, then heat dissipation improves, but insulation performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The outer surface layer is selectively removed only in the first area where the electrode assembly contacts the exterior material, exposing the metal layer to enhance heat dissipation. The outer surface layer is retained in the second area to maintain insulation performance. This localized modification resolves the contradiction between heat dissipation and insulation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively reduces temperature deviations and enhances stability and service life of the battery module by improving heat dissipation efficiency and maintaining insulation performance.
Implementation Method 1
a metal layer which comes in contact with the temperature control member, wherein the metal layer may include aluminum and a thermal conductivity of the metal layer may be greater than or equal to 150 W/(m·K)
Implementation Method 2
The exterior material may include a heat fusion layer, the heat fusion layer and the metal layer may be laminated in the first area
Data Source
AI summary
A battery module in accordance with the present disclosure includes a secondary battery including an electrode assembly and an exterior material configured to accommodate the electrode assembly, a housing member configured to accommodate the secondary battery, and a temperature control member formed inside the housing member, wherein the battery module comprises a structure in which a metal layer formed on an outermost surface of the exterior material comes in contact with the temperature control member, such that temperature deviation among a plurality of the secondary batteries in the battery module is reduced and thus an efficiency in temperature control is enhanced.